The Messy Truth About Teen Social Media Use and Suicide Risk
Looking beyond simple truths about social media to embrace its complexity.
Updated October 25, 2023 | Reviewed by Monica Vilhauer Ph.D.
When I tell people my research focuses on social media , sleep, and suicide prevention, they often assume I’m going to tell them that social media is harmful or simply "bad" for teens. They expect me to agree that social media is the root cause of why rates of depression and suicide are increasing among teens today. In reality, I won’t say this, because this conclusion is not supported by existing research. But, here are a few things we do know about social media and suicide risk so far:
I know we want simple truths, but the truth is that social media is not simple and it does not exist in a vacuum. There are many things we still don’t know about social media and suicide risk.
So, what does this all mean? Perhaps we need to stop searching for simple truths about "social media" and embrace its messiness and complexity. After all, I bet many parents and policymakers (including those seeking to ban it) can recognize the benefits of social media, or else why are we all still using it? We also need to recognize the context in which teens have developed. Teens today were in middle school during the COVID-19 pandemic , when social media was the only way to stay socially connected. Years later, we are now trying to take away the very thing that we (adults) told them to use for socialization and learning.
If we stop thinking about social media as the root of all teens’ mental health problems (it isn’t), we can shift our focus away from unhelpful policies that take away and limit “social media use” for all teens. Perhaps, instead, we can use our collective energy and power to actively make social media better to support and improve teens’ mental health.
If you or someone you love is contemplating suicide, seek help immediately. For help 24/7 dial 988 for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, or reach out to the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741. To find a therapist near you, visit the Psychology Today Therapy Directory.
Hamilton, J. L., Chand, S., Reinhardt, L., Ladouceur, C. D., Silk, J. S., Moreno, M., Franzen, P. L., & Bylsma, L. M. (2020). Social media use predicts later sleep timing and greater sleep variability: An ecological momentary assessment study of youth at high and low familial risk for depression. Journal of adolescence , 83 , 122–130. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2020.07.009
Hamilton, J. L., Hutchinson, E., Evankovich, M. R., Ladouceur, C. D., & Silk, J. S. (2023). Daily and average associations of physical activity, social media use, and sleep among adolescent girls during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of sleep research , 32 (1), e13611. https://doi.org/10.1111/jsr.13611
Hamilton, J.L., Jorgensen, S.L., Crichlow, Z., Biernesser, C., Zelazny, J., Franzen, P.L., Goldstein, T.R., & Brent, D.A. (2023). Social media use and sleep outcomes among adolescents at high risk for suicide. International Journal of Cognitive Therapy. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41811-023-00177-x
Liu, R. T., Steele, S. J., Hamilton, J. L., Do, Q. B. P., Furbish, K., Burke, T. A., Martinez, A. P., & Gerlus, N. (2020). Sleep and suicide: A systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal studies. Clinical psychology review , 81 , 101895. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2020.101895
John, A., Glendenning, A. C., Marchant, A., Montgomery, P., Stewart, A., Wood, S., Lloyd, K., & Hawton, K. (2018). Self-Harm, Suicidal Behaviours, and Cyberbullying in Children and Young People: Systematic Review. Journal of medical Internet research , 20 (4), e129. https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.9044
Nesi, J., Burke, T. A., Bettis, A. H., Kudinova, A. Y., Thompson, E. C., MacPherson, H. A., Fox, K. A., Lawrence, H. R., Thomas, S. A., Wolff, J. C., Altemus, M. K., Soriano, S., & Liu, R. T. (2021). Social media use and self-injurious thoughts and behaviors: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Clinical psychology review , 87 , 102038. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2021.102038
Beyens, I., Pouwels, J. L., van Driel, I. I., Keijsers, L., & Valkenburg, P. M. (2021). Social Media Use and Adolescents’ Well-Being: Developing a Typology of Person-Specific Effect Patterns. Communication Research , 0 (0). https://doi.org/10.1177/00936502211038196
Hamilton, J. L., Biernesser, C., Moreno, M. A., Porta, G., Hamilton, E., Johnson, K., Poling, K. D., Sakolsky, D., Brent, D. A., & Goldstein, T. G. (2021). Social media use and prospective suicidal thoughts and behaviors among adolescents at high risk for suicide. Suicide & life-threatening behavior , 51 (6), 1203–1212. https://doi.org/10.1111/sltb.12801
Hamilton, J. L., Dreier, M. J., & Boyd, S. I. (2023). Social media as a bridge and a window: The changing relationship of adolescents with social media and digital platforms. Current opinion in psychology , 52 , 101633. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2023.101633
Share this post Facebook Bluesky Linkedin Email
There was a problem adding your email address. Please try again.
By submitting your information you agree to the Psychology Today Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy
Jessica Leigh Hamilton, Ph.D., (she/her/hers) is an Assistant Professor at Rutgers University in the Department of Psychology. Her research aims to identify risk factors for the development and worsening of depression and suicidality (i.e., suicidal thoughts and behavior) among adolescents.
Get the help you need from a therapist near you–a FREE service from Psychology Today.
This article is part of the Bringwise Psychology Journal — daily insights on human behavior, mental health, and personal growth.